A Fragile Heart of Solid Rock
by kilifili-lover
Summary: Bella and Bilbo have known each other since they were children. They are best friends, and when Bilbo's parents die, she is the closest thing he has to family. They treat each other like siblings, and vow to never leave the other's side. But when 13 dwarves and a wizard test that vow, the two will have to choose between their friendship and the adventure of a lifetime. (ThorinxOC)
1. Chapter 1

**Hello! I just want to say that I am so happy that you have chosen to read this story, and I hope you like it a lot. I am currently writing two other fics (feel free to check them out) and at the end of this story (which is a long way off) I would like your input of how you like my writing style. I will ask one more time once I get to the last chapter, but I am also asking you now so that you can think about it as you are reading. Please enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own any of Tolkien's characters, I only own my OC.**

 _Bella and Bilbo were best friends. They had met in discipline in first grade after having been caught playing a prank on the teacher. They were always considered odd by most hobbit's standards, and the other children wouldn't play with them. Although they had different last names, they were related through Bilbo's mother whom Bella had been named after. Bella's mom was Bilbo's mom's sister. Unfortunately for Bella, no one knew who the father was, and her mom had died in a tragic accident when she was young. She lived with her grandparents for most of her life until one day, Bilbo's mother, Belladonna Took-Baggins, died. It devastated Bilbo's father so much that a week after his wife's death, he took his own life. Bilbo was so lost and confused about everything, and he felt that the only person in the world he had left was Bella. She moved in with him, and they began to treat each other as siblings. After a few years, the only way anyone could remember that they weren't brother and sister was by their last names. They lived in peace with each other, and made a vow that no matter what happened they would always stay by each other's side._

"Bilbo! Where is my bow? I've been looking for it all morning!" Bella came into the kitchen with a huff. "Did you hide it from me again?" She asked with annoyance. He just stood and looked down at the soup he was making, and tried not to smile as he shrugged.

"I don't know where it is, have you checked the back rooms?" He face lit up, and she hugged him.

"Thank you! I do remember leaving it there yesterday when I…" she trailed off, and quickly left the room before Bilbo could say anything else. He shook his head with a smile, and laughed quietly when he heard her shout.

"Yes! I found it! Perfect, I have time to practice now!" She ran into the room with her bow and a quiver full of arrows, and looked at Bilbo pleadingly. "May I go, please? I haven't practiced in a while, and maybe I can get another fish for us! Then you wouldn't have to go to the market today." Bilbo looked at her for a second before nodding. She made a joyful squeal and hugged him.

"Why are you acting like a toddler today? You came of age three years ago, and yet now you are acting as if you were just born three years ago." Bella smirked and put a hand on her hip.

"Do you want me to act like a grown-up?" Bilbo started to nod, but stopped.

"In some aspects. Act like a grown-up, just don't talk like one." She frowned, and punched him lightly on the shoulder.

"I'll try." They smiled at each other, and she hurried off to the front door.

"I'll be back in few hours!" she called, and Bilbo answered with an,

"Ok!" She ran down the path, and opened the gate.

"Finally! I get to be outside again!" She twirled around, and sighed. She then went running in the direction of the woods.

As the two dwarves walked through the woods, they were discussing what Gandalf had told them about hobbits, and especially their upcoming hosts for that night.

"So, hobbits are supposed to be gentle folk?" The dark haired one asked his brother, and the blonde nodded.

"Yes, they are not very rambunctious, and live peaceful lives." The younger dark haired one nodded.

"But what did he say about the Tooks?" The blonde hummed, and shook his head.

"Um, I think that they are the only ones who actually like adventures, and they leave the Shire a lot." The younger one nodded again.

"And our hosts are Tooks?" He asked, and the blonde sighed.

"Sort of. Mr. Baggins has some Took in him from his mother's side, and Ms. Took comes directly from that family." The dark haired dwarf nodded once more, and opened his mouth to ask another question, but stopped when he heard a twig snap.

"What was that?" he asked his brother, and they stopped walking.

"I don't know, get behind me." The younger dwarf obeyed, and stepped behind his older brother who had already pulled out his twin blades. They stood in silence until suddenly, three cougars jumped out at the blonde. He killed two of them, but before he had time to even slash at the third, it was already dead. When inspected, they found a hand-made arrow, well made too, sticking out of its neck.

"That was not me." The younger one said, holding his hands in the air with his bow on the ground. "But that was a good shot." They suddenly heard a girl's scream come from the opposite direction that the cougars had come from, and they took off in search of the person that had screamed.

Bella was coming back from her hunting, and was inspecting her fish when she heard talking. She slowly crept towards where it was coming from, when she saw four cougars approaching the two dwarves that were there. Three of them jumped out at the dwarves, and while the blonde one was killing two of them, Bella drew an arrow. She carefully aimed it at the throat of the third one, and shot. It hit dead on, and she briefly rejoiced. She was cut off as the missing fourth one bit down on her arm and dragged her backwards. She held on to her bow as the cat dragged her through the leaves, but couldn't hold in a scream as it bit down on her chest. Suddenly, an arrow that wasn't her own hit the creature in the shoulder. It let go, and she cried out in pain.

"Are you ok? Here, let me help you." The blonde haired dwarf helped her to sit up, and he gasped when he saw her arm and middle section. "You're bleeding like crazy! Do you need us to help you back to your home?" Bella shook her head, and groaned as she tried to stand.

"I think I will be ok. Thank you though…" she paused when she realized she didn't know his name.

"Fili. And this is my younger brother Kili. He was the one who shot the arrow." Fili smiled, and Bella half-smiled back.

"Thanks Kili. My name is Bella. Very nice to meet you. And I do have one request, could one of you please carry my bag of fish for me? I just caught them earlier, and I really should be getting them home." Fili picked up the bag, and Kili gasped.

"You caught all of those yourself?" He said disbelievingly. She nodded, and picked up her bow with her good arm.

"Ya, I was taught by my brother how to shoot moving targets." Kili nodded, and picked up her quiver of arrows.

"Really good shot by the way. Nice arrows also, did you make them yourself?" Bella nodded again, and began to walk in the direction of Bag End.

"Yup, just made those yesterday too. I had left them by the river to dry overnight, and I picked them up this morning." Kili nodded as he walked next to her.

"So, you are a hobbit?" He said after a few minutes of silence. She looked at him with confusion mixed in her pained features, and nodded slowly.

"Yes, I am. Have you never seen one before?" He shook his head, and she laughed. "Well then, am I a good first impression?" He nodded enthusiastically, and she laughed again.

"Very," he said with happiness. She looked back at the one called Fili, and did a nod back to him.

"What about you? Have you seen one before?" He shook his head, and she made a surprised laugh.

"This is really our first time outside of the Blue Mountains. We are just here for- well never mind." Bella raised an eyebrow at him, but her face quickly changed when she felt a sharp pain in her ribs.

"Ahh!" She cried out, and leaned over.

"Bella, are you going to be ok?" Kili dropped her quiver, and put his hands on her shoulders to steady her. She nodded, and stood up slowly.

"I, I think I will be, ok." She stood to catch her breath before nodding. "Ya, I'll be, fine." She took one step forward, and promptly fainted.


	2. Chapter 2: Getting to know the dwarves

**Hello, as you can see, (If you have read my other stories) I am back with another Hobbit story! I absolutely love Tolkien and his creation of Middle Earth.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own any of Tolkien's awesomely amazing characters, I only own my OC.**

As Bella slowly opened her eyes, the world around her was blurry. She blinked several times, and tried to sit up, but fell back on the bed with a gasp as the pain in her ribs suddenly hit her again.

"You would do well not to move Ms. Took, for your wounds are still healing." The kind, almost elderly voice comforted Bella, and sounded rather familiar. She opened her eyes once more, and saw an old man with a grey robe sitting by her bedside. He had a generous smile, and looked very wise. She could tell that he had been though a lot just by his deep blue eyes. She saw that he had suffered, and also seen greater joy than one could wish for. She smiled weakly at him, and looked back up at the ceiling.

"Am I in Bag End?" She asked sleepily. He nodded, even though she couldn't see him.

"Yes you are, my dear. 12 of the dwarves have already arrived, and the last one is on his way." She looked at him with alarm, and widened her own blue eyes.

"There are dwarves in my house?! How did I not know about this!" she said with slight panic. The man chuckled, and stood as there was a knock on the door.

"Neither you nor Bilbo knew about this. I planned it all." He opened the door to reveal the two dwarves from earlier in the woods.

"We were just wondering how Ms. Bella was doing," Fili said, and Kili looked around the old man to see her. He broke into a smile when he saw her looking at him, and he nudged Fili.

"She's awake!" The man moved out of the way to allow the brothers to enter her room.

"How are you feeling Ms. Bella?" Fili asked softly, his sky blue eyes shining with worry. She smiled at him, and sighed.

"I am feeling fine," She watched as he sighed in relief. "If I don't move." Some of the worry was back in his eyes, and he looked at Kili. The brunette nodded, and Fili looked back at the old man.

"Gandalf, do you think it would be ok if we helped her into the dining room? I mean, if it's alright with her." The now named Gandalf pondered for a moment before nodding his head.

"If she is feeling up to it, then I suppose it would be ok." They all looked at her, and she hummed.

"I will only go if you two help me walk, because it really hurts to move." She gestured to the brothers, and they nodded.

"Of course Ms. Bella, we would love to help you." As they proceeded to help her stand, Gandalf smiled widely.

"Well, I best be off to see how Bilbo is taking all this." He said, and then left the three alone.

"Ow, Ow, Ow, that hurts," Bella said as she tried to walk.

"What part hurts?" Kili asked with concern laced in his voice, and she breathed heavily.

"It just hurts to tense my chest muscles, and to breathe deeply, which I am stupidly doing right now." She slowed her breathing, and tried to take slower, shallower breaths. "Ok, I'm ready." They exited her bedroom, and started making their way down the hallway. "So, how exactly did I get here?" she asked, and Kili laughed slightly.

"Well, Ms. Took, when you fainted, Fili and I didn't know what to do. So he picked you up, and we went all over Hobbiton asking where you lived. Finally, we passed by Gandalf, and he told us that you were one of our hosts. He pointed us in the direction of your house, and then went to get the others. We came here, Bilbo freaked out at the sight of you passed out, we brought you back here, then, well. Here we are!" She nodded, and was about to speak, but was cut off as they entered the dining room and a low whistle escaped one of the dwarf's mouths.

"She's quite a sight, now aint she!" A dwarf with a funny looking hat called out. She smiled sweetly at him as she sat down across from a rather muscular and bald dwarf. Fili and Kili sat on either side of her, and the same dwarf again spoke.

"What's yer name, lassie?" She cleared her throat, and smiled at the rest of them.

"My name is Bella Took, and I hope that you all had a pleasant journey to my lovely home, and that you find it will meet all of your needs." Bofur looked pleasantly surprised, and nodded to the rest of the company.

"She's got nice manners. Maybe we should convince Thorin to let her come, it would do him some good to learn to speak like her." Most of the dwarves laughed, while the bald dwarf sitting next to the oddly hatted one punched him lightly on the shoulder.

"Don't let Thorin hear ye say that, or he will skin ye alive." That made all the dwarves laugh, and Bella even let out a giggle. She winced as her muscles tightened around her hurting ribs, and Fili suddenly shouted at the group.

"Stop making her laugh, she is hurt guys!" She smiled fondly at the blonde dwarf, and patted his arm.

"It's ok Fili, I'll survive." She turned to the rest of the group, and surveyed each of them. "Now, you now my name, may I know yours?" They all nodded, and she turned to Kili, who was sitting on her left.

"We will start from this side, and go around." Kili nodded, and stood.

"You already know me Ms. Bella, but I will say again because you asked. Kili, at your service." He bowed, before sitting.

"Bomber, at your service." The dwarf next to Kili said. They continued to go around, each standing up and bowing, until they got back to Bella.

"Dwalin, at your service."

"Bofur, at your service."

"Balin, at your service."

"Gloin, at your service."

"Nori, at you service."

"Dori, at your service."

"Ori, at your service." The next dwarf that stood, spoke in a foreign language, and when he sat, the white haired dwarf next to him stood.

"He said Bifer, at your service. I am Oin, at your service." He sat, and then Fili stood.

"Again, Fili, at your service." He sat, and Bella slowly stood, even though Fili protested.

"And I am Bella Took, at yours. Whatever you may need from me, be it medical help, weapons help, or cooking help, I am the hobbit to go to. Ask anyone, they will say the same." She sat and they all sat in comfortable silence for a few moments before Balin spoke.

"It would be very beneficial to have you on this quest, and I look forward to seeing what Thorin will say. As for the rest of you," he eyed the group warily, "I suggest you eat as much as you can tonight. Starting tomorrow, food may be scarce, and you will not get big meals. So, eat up!" Once he finished, the dwarves immediately tore into the food, and started talking and having a good time. Bella smiled at the merriness, and wondered about the quest the Balin had said they were going on. She was brought out of her wondering when Fili lightly tapped her on the shoulder.

"Ms. Bella, Gandalf wanted me to give you this healing tea. If you are able to drink at least four or five cups by tonight, then your ribs should be fully healed y tomorrow afternoon." She took the cup with a thankful smile, and sipped it as she continued to watch the dwarves eat. Bofur threw a boiled egg at Bomber from across the room, and the large dwarf with orange hair caught it in his mouth. They all erupted into cheers, and Bella giggled again. She was surprised when her ribs didn't hurt as much, and she looked down at her tea.

"Wow, this stuff really does work," she mumbled to herself, but before she could take another sip, she heard yelling in the hallway. As she got up, there was momentary silence, and she looked back at the dwarves. They were all drinking ale, and when they finished, began to burp. She wrinkled her nose in disgust, and proceeded to walk slowly to the hallway.

"Where are you going Ms. Bella?" Ori called after a particularly loud burp, and all the dwarves looked to her.

"I need to speak with Bilbo." The small dwarf nodded, and they all went back to eating except for Fili and Kili, who watched her carefully as she walked around the corner.

"I see that you lads are watching out for her. Good, she will need that on the journey." Dwalin said to Fili and Kili, and Bella smiled. She looked back down the hallway to find Gandalf and Bilbo arguing. She just caught the end of one of Bilbo's sentences as she approached them.

"…Pillaged the pantry. I'm not even going to tell you what they've done in the bathroom, they've all but destroyed the plumbing. I don't understand what they're doing in my house!" Bella came over to Bilbo and he lightened up as he saw her. "Bella! You are awake!" She nodded with a smile, and turned to Gandalf.

"Thanks to his wonderful tea, I feel almost completely back to normal!" Gandalf gave her a smile, and opened his mouth to talk, but was interrupted by silence and then another loud burping contest. "Eww," Bella made a face, and turned back to Bilbo. "Don't take it out on Gandalf, Bilbo, I don't think it's his fault." Bilbo scoffed, and Gandalf looked at the ground. "Or… maybe it is…" She said quietly. They stood in silence for some time before Gandalf opened his mouth to speak, but was one more cut off, this time by Ori.

"Excuse me, I'm sorry to interrupt, but what should I do with my plate?" Bella smiled at how polite and adorable he was, and was slightly startled when Fili came up behind her.

"Here you go Ori, give it to me." He took the plate from the younger dwarf's hands and threw it over Bella head. She gasped before she could stop herself, and was relieved when Kili caught it. Fili continued to throw dishes at his brother, and Kili caught them every time.

"Excuse me, that's my mother's west farthing cutlery, it's over a hundred years old!" Bilbo sounded frantic and highly irritated as he yelled at the dwarves.

"Oh, let them have fun Bilbo!" Bella said with a laugh. He turned and glared at her, then stormed off into the kitchen where several of the dwarves were playing with the silverware. "And could you not do that," Bilbo was saying as Bella entered the kitchen. "You'll blunt them." He finished, and she scoffed.

"Oh, do ya hear that lads? He says we'll blunt the knives." They all laughed, and then Kili started singing.

"Blunt the knives, bend the forks,"

Then Fili joined in and sang the next line with his brother, then all of the dwarves began to sing.

"Smash the bottles and burn the corks.

Chip the glasses and crack the plates.

That's what Bilbo Baggins hates!

Cut the cloth, tread on the fat.

Leave the bones on the bedroom mat.

Pour the milk on the pantry floor,

Splash the wine on every door!

Dump the crocks in a boiling bowl,

Pound them up with a thumping pole.

When you're finished, if they are whole,

Send them down the hall to roll!"

Bofur began playing his flute while the dwarves continued to throw around the dishes.

"That's what Bilbo Baggins hates!"

They finished, and Bilbo came into the kitchen looking quite worried. When a look of surprise came over his face at the neatly piled and clean dishes on the counter, all of the dwarves, including Bella, laughed merrily. Their happiness was suddenly cut off as three loud knocks on the door quieted them, and the dwarves became somber.

"He is here." Gandalf said quietly, and Bella suddenly felt that this person was very important to the company. She wondered about it as they all gathered in front of the round green door, and Gandalf opened it to reveal the most handsome being she had ever laid eyes upon.

 **Well, there is my second chapter! Sorry it took so long to get this one up, my schedule has been packed with my 8** **th** **grade finals this week. I am done with them on Wed. though, and then school is officially out! Yay! By the way, I completely guessed on the color of Gandalf's eyes, so if you know for certain that they are a different color than blue, please let me know, and I will change it. R &R, and I will see you next chapter!**


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